JOSH NEIL will aim to build on his strong start to the season this weekend at the Irish under 19 International in Dublin.

The Prestwick 17-year-old reached the final of the boys’ singles and the quarter-finals of the boys’ doubles at the Bulgarian Junior International last month, and he will be aiming for another strong performance in Ireland.

In the singles, Neil, the joint third seed, opens up against home player Cian Fusco on Friday afternoon, with the possibility of a quarter-final tie against team-mate Adam Hall (Mauchline) if both players win through their early round matches.

Also in the singles draw are Callum Riddell (Irvine), Calum Stevenson (Pollokshields) and Prestwick’s BenTorrance. Torrance will partner Neil in the doubles where the pair are top seeds. They have a first round bye before playing the winners of Irish pairs Satchal Mikie Madden and Paul Reynolds, and Sam McKay and Nhat Nguyen.

Hall and Stevenson will also go in the doubles, opening against Ireland’s Jonathan Dolan and David Walsh, with the prospect of a second round tie against second seeds Bruno Carvalho (Portugal) and Daniel Clark (England). Riddell is paired with Ireland’s James Loh.